Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-27
JOHN C. CALHOUN.
Synopsis Of the Grafton Delivered Yes.
ttrday hy Hon. l.. Q. q. Lamar
~ Charleston, S. e..
A Careful Review OF the Career OF the
Gfkat South Carolina Patriot, Orator,
80 Statesman and Author.

|
the close relation between Calhoun and
the people OF his native state, Mr.. Lamar
said: "When not in the actual discharge
Of his official duties Calhoun spent his
time In retirement at his private nome at
Fort Hill. He was occupied in agricul-
ture, in which be took the deepest inter
est "
Mr.. Lamar then paid the following trib-
ute to the southern planter: "The so Lth-
ern planter was far from being the self
! indulgent. indolent, coarse and over
bearing person that he has sometimes
! been pictured. He was, in general.
careful, patient, provident, industrious,
| forbearing, and yet firm and determined.
! These were the qualities which enabled
him to take race of untamed savages,
with habits that could only inspire dis
gust, with no arts, no single tradition OF
civilization, and OUT of such a people to
make the finest body of agricultural and
domestic laborers that the world has ever
seen; and, indeed, to elevate them in the
scale of rational existence TO such q
| height as to cause them to be deemed fit
! for admission into the charmed circle
of American freedom, and to be
clothed with the rights and
duties of American citizenship.
! The southern planter was educated in
those faculties and personal qualities
! which enabled him to emerge from his
| solitude and preside in the county court,
or become a member of his state Legisla-
ture; to discharge the duties of local
magistraCy, or to take his place in the
national councils. In confirmation Of
what say, have only to point to the
/ fact that it was in such cCmmuni-
ties as these that q Washington,
q Jackson, Taylor, a Lee, and 8
host OF others, acquired those
qualities which enabled them, in the
position in which their country placed
them, to add such undying luSter to the
American name. 1t was in such COM
munities that men like Jefferson, Madi-
son, Monroe, Polk, Lowndes, Calhoun,
Clay, NJ con, Marshall, fancy, and many
others whom | could mention, acquired
those characteristics which their cOun-
trymen both north and south instinCtivelY
GisCeTned whenever they were "called
upon to face some awful moment to
which Heaven has Jined great issues,
good or bad, for human kind"
Continuing, MIR. Lamar said: Apart
from Calboun's career as q statesman in
the House Of Representatives, as a Cabi-
net officer, as Vice President of the
United States and as United States Sena-
tor, he has left in his writings q legacy
which will perpetuate the sway of his i'm
mortal thought over the minds of men.
HIS stainless purity of life was the chief
cause Of his unparalleled hold upon his
people.
In reviewing the origin of cur federal
government and the doctrine of states
rights, Mr.. Lamar sums up a follows;
In 1889 the people of the United States
were citizens Of states originally sovereign
and Independent; in 1861 vast majority
of the people CT the United States were
citizens of states that were originally
mere dependencies Of the federal gov
eminent, which was the author and giv4r
of their political being. With al these
forces on the side of the Union, backed
| by majority OF the state governments,
with their reserved powers, it was q nat
ural consequence that the unity and in
| tegrity of the United States as sovereign
nation should be esta blished on the battle
| field; that it's government should come
out OF sthe conflict with a pretige and
| power greater perhaps than any on earth;
land That the eleven minority states, after
$aEesistancs as heroic as any recorded in
the enn&1s Of Greece or Rome, should
! suCCcUmb to overwhelming. forces. l be-
lieVe if Calhoun were here to-day and
could see his own South Car
! DINA, the land of Rutledge,
Moultrie, Lawrence, Hayne, Lowndes,
| Sumter and Marion, restored largely
! through the efforts of her lion hearted
Hampton, to her proud position of dig
| nifty and equality in the union, he would
! say to her inst the great controversy be-
| ing closed at the ballot box, closed by the
agbirament of war, and, above all, closed
/ by the constitution, always deemed sa-
| cred and inviOlable by her, she sacrifices
no principles and talsitieS no sentiment
| in accepting the verdict-determin
| henceiOrth, TO seek the happiness OF her
people, their greatness aud glory, in the
greatness and glory Of the American re-
! public.
After giving a condensed statement Of
| Mr. CalhOun's early life and eduCtlon, the
orator took him up at the time OF his
entrance into Congress at the age of
twenty eIgdt, on the eve of the war of
1872, and described his political prin-
cipes, and the important part he played
in the councils Of the na'i0n during the
struggle with Great Britain. Approach
ing the early course of Mr.. Calhoun on
the subject Of protection, internal i'm
provements, and a national bank, Mr..
Lamar explained ct that period
protective tariff, internal improve
ments, and national bank were
measures that virtually originated in the
war; that they were not questions of IN
ternal policy, but related exclusively to
the national security, in consequence of
the state of our external relations. Re-
gsrding them as means of national de-
Tense against dangers from abroad with
which we were imminently threatened,
Mr.. Calhoun did not look for the consti-
tutionsl authority to adopt them IN the
enumerated and described powers of
Congress, but he deduced it from the
plenary power which pertained to the
government as the sole sovereignty Of
the republic in its relations with other
nations.
Speaking Of that power in our system